Stafford manager Chris Brindley has given the strongest hint yet that he will be staying in charge for next season.

The Rangers boss reveals the club are busy working on a provisional budget for the 2009/10 campaign, which – when finalised – will give the man in the hot-seat next season a clear idea of what he has to work with.

There will not be a huge pool of resources to work with, as the club are still not completely over the financial trauma which gripped the club in the last campaign, but Brindley has already worked wonders on a shoestring.

He was given the brief to avoid at all costs the drop from the Blue Square North, which was achieved with a game to spare.

As there will not be any significant drop in revenue from a prospective relegation, it is possible that the budget will at least remain the same – giving the manager scope to keep most of his existing squad together.

Now Brindley has indicated that man should be him.

He said: “I should be staying I would think, the club are busy working on a budget at the minute – so we’ll have to wait and see really. It’s up to them how long it takes, finances are still very tight so it’s a decision they need to think long and hard about amongst themselves.

“It’s down to them really, whatever budget they come up with will define how competitive we can be, to be honest. It’s not that straight forward, I understand that, but that is the truth of the matter.

“A contract is not the issue for me staying, I worked without a deal last season and I would expect the same this season.”